kaisou | flowers long dead

flowers long dead

WHO: ????? <花異道亞奈> and you
WHERE: The Network
WHEN: May 5th, Dark Hour
WHAT: Rose (?) finally picks up the phone.
WARNINGS: Bad Vibes all Around

[The feed switches on to reveal Rose, although something's off. She's turned away from the camera, and her hair is pulled up into a bun. She's wearing an eastern inspired outfit as she trims leaves off a plant. You can't see much of the area around her, but what little you can see tells you that the garden is massive.]

[Her back stays to the camera as she starts speaking.]

"You know, amateur gardeners all make the same mistake. They always focus on what they can do to help the plants, but never think about what might be hurting them. It's always about adding sunlight, or giving the plants more room to grow."

"Hemlock. Belladonna. Atropine. These plants are all toxic to humans. You wouldn't suffer them growing in your garden, would you?"

"Just like humans, plants can be poisoned, too. Look here."

[The camera zooms in on a red rose.]

"Absolutely terrible to those around it. You see, roses need a very specific environment to grow, and treating to soil so that roses can bloom is a death sentence to those plants around it. Thankfully, this problem is easily fixed."

[There's a snap as shears rip through the stem of the rose. The camera turns to face Rose as the flower falls to the ground. Those familiar with Rose will notice that her eyes are noticeably more yellow than before, and the smirk she's wearing can only be described as concerning.]

"Don't worry, Kaisou. I've isolated the poison for you. She'll be dealt with in short order. She can't hurt you anymore."

[And with that the feed cuts, leaving behind only static.]

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[ A memory comes to him so sharply, it almost hurts. The images playing in his mind like a fast, blinding slideshow. Wolfwood's Vision. Rose's phonecall. The image of roses twisting in smoke and ash. The worry that Veldora, Wolfwood, and Rose had about Vash being in Danger.

It was wrong.

He was never in Danger.

It was never him who the world was warning about.

It was Rose.

He feels sick to his stomach. ]

...She's never hurt anyone.

And you're going to give her back.

...Whoever's responsible for this--people that brazenly cruel don't respond to intimidation or threats. So in repayment for what you've done to my sister, I'll offer advice instead.

[Spoken calmly; unnaturally so. Measured and careful in the way of one who was so angry it had overflowed into tranquility. Worse than that, Waver was smiling in a way that looked like the spark of light off the edge of a knife.]

Pray to all you hold sacred that Albarea finds you before I do.

[Yusuke is furious. And ready to go stop his boyfriend from going off if he needs to but mostly just furious.]

You bitch.

[Why...

Why must this happen again? Why must this happen with her? Has she not been through enough?! And now she must experience this hell that Takame did last year, that he still struggled to sleep through.

Why did it have to be her...

... That did not matter. What did was them getting her out.

And if this Shadow wished to send a message. So too would Takame.]

You've isolated yourself from her. And given me the knowledge of where she is. She will not be alone for long. She will never be alone and she has never intentionally brought harm to anyone. And I will save her. Both of you.

[Not like him, as the Warrior of Light and not.]

To you who sees this and took her, count your moments of undeserved peace. Do you believe you will escape this with your life?

No. You who took her away... you will pray for death. Beg me for it. And it will not be granted until the pain you've inflicted on her is paid back ten-thousand fold and your screams can be heard across Kaisou.

[ So, it's just as she had feared. As they all feared. Rose was next and they were far too late to stop this.

Part of her is almost not surprised - first an ex-member of The Order, and now one of the Warriors of Light? They're being obvious now.

It makes her sick. It makes her furious. And there's only ice, cold and sharp, in her voice when she speaks; ]

Don't touch her. Don't you dare.

And I know whoever took her in the first place is listening to this. Death will be a mercy when we find you.

...

I'm comin', mate. Keep a cool head 'til we get there.

[... Diarmuid will have to leave the continued scaling of Tartarus to the others. This is not a debt he should have ever had to have reason to repay.]

There is one poison to speak of here, and it is your words towards her. We will stop at nothing to silence them. For our friend to return to the garden she has made her home.

[Said with a cold, cold fury that just as much served as a threat to whoever was watching this. They would not be suffered to live.]

[AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA.]

[He'd been afraid of this since Veldora showed up at the Vogue, since he couldn't get in touch with her. It's been an anxiety that's been growing thick and twisted in his stomach and now here it is. She's been taken.

Again. And now he's trying to deal with the growing panic that she might get tortured again or die again and she got taken in his theatre where she should have been the safest she could ever be. It's rare to see Zulius actually angry. Normally it's a performative, screechy thing. No real fire to it. Not really.

Which is to say it's probably not a good thing that he reacts to this with a quiet, ice-cold rage. He is done. He is SO done. ]

You sure fucked up with this one. We're getting her back.

[Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.

Just like the last one, Rose has gone missing too... only for something wearing her face to pop up and threaten to kill her.

It's not right. It's not right. It's not right.]

Give her back.

[He recalls the white scarf she'd given him, to pass to Dan Heng. She should have kept it for herself.]

Give her back!

[ My, all these threats to his life and not a single person giving up a fucking NAME that they want.

teresa's reports were right about that, at least--these people are so unhinged and dangerous. It'd be a mercy to the world to have most of them erased if that's how they act over a mere disappearance of one, maybe two people. ]

THE NAME TO TERESA'S KILLER WILL MAKE THIS END.

ur mom

I can also think of something else that will!

You'll be able to ask her yourself soon enough.

Edited (wait i thought of something better) 2024-05-05 22:55 (UTC)

[If Takame's phone hadn't been confiscated at this point probably it'd be SO over for you.]

It's helpful to have confirmation that the Black Order is behind this. Thank you for your service.

Gods above, you can't do better than an ominous ransom note? Attempted serial killers used to have standards.

So will the name of my swords.

[Bitch.]

Eat shit and die, asshat.

[ no no no no no no no─

not rose, not rose. she is good and kind and has done nothing to anyone, why is this happening? it's not fair! ]

Rose... I won't let this happen. I won't!

I got a video of them

here

May those who love us, love us.
And those who don't love us,
May God turn their hearts;
And if He doesn't turn their hearts,
May He turn their ankles,
So we will know them by their limping.

So in what batshit alternate universe are you living in that makes you think this would actually work? You just jumped into a pit full of hungry dogs with a steak tied to your ass, you dipshit.

[They want Teresa's killer? Even if he knew, he'd never tell. Ayato is tired of being held on a leash and he's done being held by someone's orders that hurt others.]

自業自得

We will find you. And when we do, I can promise you that you won't enjoy what happens next.

omg i think a friend of mine just won a bet bc of this
i hope it was cash

The price you demand is greater than the debt that is owed.

You will understand what happens to those who seek to topple the scales in their favor.

The World will not remember your name by the time I am done with you.

[ bitch ]

Of COURSE it was you guys. Wow, way to do the tacky villain reveal in the first act like a bunch of amateurs.

ANYWAY.

I'd personally say it's akin to jumping into a pool of piranhas, but I'd say that analogy also fits.

This will end poorly.

[SOMEONE CALL AN AMBULANCE

BUT NOT FOR ME]

[Navia knows that her voice most likely can't reach Rose where she is, but she still tries. That's her friend, damn it!]

Hang in there, Rose! We'll find you and rescue you, just like I promised!

You are not the ones that justice will see as the victor. Your day of judgment is soon coming, along with your executioners.

[She is furious.]

And this is what we call

PUTTING A FUCKING TARGET ON YOUR BACK

lmao good luck actually getting anything out of us, you just kicked an entire hornet's nest!

BURN IN HELL WITH HER.

Are you alone, Furina? Do you need company?

Sure that one works too. Whoever did this are fucked either way.

I mean, obviously, it's the Order. I don't know who would be this fuckin' stupid, though.

[ she has to take a deep breath to calm herself down, but she responds quickly. ]

Wriothesley is here I'll be alright. Do not worry about me, Takame needs you right now.

[Edward fucking knew it.

What he’s surprised by is just how quickly everyone else refuses to comply. His heart grows warm and soft, and he has to sit down for a moment before he responds.]

Really? That’s what all this is about?

You’re not very good at your job, are you, if this is what you’re resorting to.

We’re going to get her back, safe as houses.

[Unsaid: And then you’ll know exactly how Teresa felt to die with a blade in her throat.

Edward knows how to keep a secret.]

And whoever took her—you know damned well by now what’s coming for you, I’m sure. All I’ll say is: I hope you’ve a will written.

This has more than doubled my belief that we need to stick to groups to make sure we're safe.
Whatever happened to Rose--I don't want to see it happen to anyone else.
If Takame and Yusuke want to come join us for safety in numbers, that's not a bad idea.

you didn’t think this through, huh?

You're right.

[ inhale. ]

It will be harder for this to happen again if we stick together.

You know how high unsolved murder rates are here? You already had the slimmest of chances of getting that name while we were on the case.

And now you’ve gone and thrown what’s left of them in the trash.

Enjoy what few days you have left to live. We’re coming for you.

[Leon maybe it was not the best idea to threaten your coworker with your username attached. A moment after he sends the comment, he'll feel his hand burn as the Black Order emblem appears.

Leon's abilities are now sealed for the rest of the month.]

[Let’s be honest here, if not for the seal burning onto his hand, he wouldn’t have even noticed.]

[ it's a weight off of his shoulders, really, to have the worst possible outcome confirmed. it's clarifying. focusing. he's calm, suddenly.

terribly, starkly calm, even if the impromptu lightning storm that crackles in the woods near Persephone's garden is pitch black in nature.

he'll respond once he's worked the initial pop of rage off. ]

If you can see this, Lady Rose, we are coming.

I am coming. Hold fast, keep faith, and do not swallow this farcical shade's poison.

And to the one who broke my friend's trust: you will know why they call me a Calamity. I hope it will bring you much to think of on your journey to the void I will entrust you to.

Once we find the gate to where she's been taken, we're both likely going to go help her. After that, though, or even while we're gone, you're both welcome to stay with us at our house.

[Eve remembered this kind of broadcast from last year. While she does not know Rose that well, she knows she is a friend of Vash.]

[What do you say in this kind of situation? Eve doesn't know]

[So instead she wanders over to Vash and leans her head against his arm. A small sign of support.]

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flowers long dead

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